Rail lubricator



Feb- 6, 1934- H. B. BATES RAIL LUBRICATOR Filed Aug. 23. 1930 2Sheets-Sheet Patented Feb. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILLURICATOR Harry B. Bates, Chicago,

Maintenance Equipment Company,

Ill., assignor to Chicago,

15 Claims.

My invention relates to lubricating devices and more particularly to adevice for lubricating rails and car wheel flanges of railway systems.

Due to lateral thrust by car wheel ilanges as a result of centrifugalforce generated in traversing curves, the rails are particularlysusceptible to wear at the curves and there is also a considerable wearon the wheel flanges. The thrust comes on the innerside of the rail facewhere the car wheel iiange contacts and in practice it has been foundnecessary to frequently replace the worn rails to avoid derailing of thecars. This wear may be reduced to a considerable extent by greasing orlubricating the rails at the points of greatest wear or by greasing orspraying the wheel iianges of the locomotive or car with oil.

My invention has as an object the production of a simple, inexpensive,eii'icient, compact, durable and reliable mechanical lubricator adaptedfor attachment to the rail, and operable by the passage of a car wheelthereover, to apply lubricant to the rail at the point or points ofwear.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device whichwill transmit the action ci the car wheel to the lubricator in suchmanner that the lubricant is ejected as required, but after alllubricant has been ejected, no damage will be caused to the apparatus bythefcontinued successive contacts oi wheels actuating the device.

The invention also has as an object the production of a. device whichwill eject the lubricant in measured amounts as each wheel passes overthe distributor, but will not continuously eject in case a car wheelcomes to rest over the device.

Another object is the production of a device which may be easily lledand relled with lubricant; which will show by a casual exteriorinspection whether or not the lubricant is exhausted; which consists ofa minimum of movable parts, thereby reducing cost of manufacture as wellas renewal for wear and upkeep of the parts and which may be readilyapplied or removed from the rail without any reconstruction thereof ortemporary removal of the rail.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown anddescribed will be obvious to those skilled in the art from thedisclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangementand combination of parts herein shown and described and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a sectional view through my improvedlubricator taken substan- -tially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 4, the railbeing shown in section with the deviceapplied thereto and a portion ofthe car wheel being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 2--2 of Figs. 1and 4;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a top elevation of the device as applied to a rail, only aportion of the rail being shown; and

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the container and a side elevation of therail.

In the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention isshown, l represents the head or tread of a rail and 2 a portion of awheel having the usual flange 3 which is customarily disposed at theinner face of the rail head. My device is adapted to be attached to therail and is operable to deposit a particle or measured quantity ofgrease or lubricant at the inner side face of the rail head where it maybe picked up by the flange and spread. As shown, there is provided arail plate 6 which is of a size to fit between the underside of the railhead and the base of the rail, the same being so mounted that the face 6is in alignment and is substantially a continuation of the innerside ofthe rail head. Rail plate 6 may be secured in place in any suitablemanner and as shown, by means of bolts 7, the heads of which are ushwith the plate 6 and which extend through the web 4 of the rail. Fillerplates 8 and 9 are preferably arranged asl shown, 8 serving as a seatfor the plate 6 and 9 as a seat for the nut 10 which is arranged on eachbolt and affords a means for drawing the parts tightly together andlocking them in operative position.

Carried by the plate 6 is a lubricant container designated generally 'bythe reference character ll which is provided with communicating primaryand secondary lubricant containing chambers 12 and 13. The containerillustrated consists of a tubular shell member 14 mounted on a head 15which is constructed to provide the secondary or compression chamber 13.The head is provided with ports 16 and 17 and with a discharge port 18.These ports are controlled by a combined valve and distributorhereinafter described in detail. The head is provided with a face plate19 arranged for attachment to the rail plate 6 by means of bolts 20 orequivalent means for the purpose. The plate 19 is preferably more orless yieldingly secured in place by means of the bolts ,20, nuts 21 andsprings 22. The plate munication through the port opening 27.

Y 13 under pressure.

or head 19 is also recessed to provide a space 26 for the reception ofthe valve 25, the valve being movable vertically over the face of therail plate 6 to apply and to distribute the lubricant and is maintainedin close contact with rail plate 6 by the springs 22 previously referredto.

As shown, plate 25 is substantially a combined valve and distributor forthe lubricant. It is provided with ports 27 and 28 which cooperate withthe ports 16, 17 and 18 as will be hereafter described. The same is alsoprovided with the duct or groove 29, the lower end of which communicateswith the port 28 and the upper end of which terminates at the topadjacent the inner face of the rail head l, the plate being of sufcientsize-to overlap the rail head asl most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.The platel is normally maintained in its upward position and limited inits travel by springs 31 and stop members 30. As shown, the members aresecured on the plate and pro- 'ject into a' chamber 32 formed in theparts 19' ofthe plate 19.

When a car wheel passes over the plate, the ilange 3 engages the topedge of the carrier plate or valve 25 and forces it down substantiallyas shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and after the wheel has, passed,springs 21 retrieve the same to .the

position shown in Fig. 1. In the construction designed as shown, theflange tends to clutch or frictionally engage the plate 25 to carry itdown rather than a direct positive engagement. In the preferredconstruction, the upper edge of the valve 25 is rounded as indicated at33, the top edge constituting substantially a cam face which engageswith ange 3 of the wheel.

The container 11 shown is provided with a-closure or head 34 at theopposite end of the shell 14 and a plunger 35 Vis arranged within thecontainer, this being provided with a cup-shaped Washer 36 of leather orequivalent material which @will be tight and prevent leakage past theplunger. A spring 37 tends to normally force the plunger toward the railso as to expel lubricant through the port 16, port 27 and port 17 fromthe primary or storage chamber 12 into the secondary or compressionchamber 13, when the valve 25 is depressed by the car wheel. A threadedplunger stem 36 is slidably mounted in the closure 34 and isy providedwith a retrieving nut 38 threaded thereon and constructed in the form ofa hand Wheel for convenience in operation.

The operation of the device may be briey described as follows assumingthat the container is mounted on a track rail substantially as shown ata desired point, it being understood that there may be any desirednumber of devices arranged at intervals along the curve. It may also beassumed that the primary and secondary chambers 12 and 13 are full oflubricant such as a grease of the desired consistency. The nut 38 is atthe outer1 end of the stem 36. It will be noted that in the positionsshown in Fig. 1, ports 18 and 28 are in registry and it may be assumedthat the groove 29 is full of grease while the port 16 is closed by thevalve. As a wheel rolls over the rail and comes intov engagement withthe plate 25, depressing it, plate 25 is moved downwardly, closing port18 from the secondary or compression chamber and placing ports 16 and 17in com- The spring pressed plunger forces lubricant through the port 16from the primary or storage chamber into the secondary or compressionchamber 13 compressing or putting lubicant in As soon as the wheel haspassed, however, the plate is free to move upwardly under the action ofthe springs 31, closing ports 16 and 17 yfrom communication and bringingopening 28 into registry with port 18, thereby bringing the secondarychamber and the groove 29 into communication. The lubricant underpressure .or compressionv in 13 expands through 18 and 28` and forcesthe lubricant in 29 outwardly or extrudes it. The next wheel depressing25 continues the feeding of lubricant to the rail as described. It willbe noted, however, that should a car stop with a wheel over the plate 25and maintain it depressed, that while ports 16 and 17 may be incommunication and there be pressure in 13, port 18 will be closed sothat there `will be no continued feeding of the compressed lubricant in13 or the passageway 29 from the device. In other words, the feeding isonly periodically or successively in measured quantities and notcontinuously. When the plunger 35 has reached the limit of its travel,the nut 38 will indicate that the container is empty and obviously thismay be noted by a trackman without taking the device, apart. Toreplenish the supply. of lubricant, the nut 38 is turned down asindicated in the dotted lines in Fig. 1 compressing the spring 87 andbringing the plunger back toward the head 34. The head 34 may be removedand the lubricant in l2 be replenished, after whichhead 34 is replacedand the nut38 retrieved tothe position 4shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

It will Vhe noted that the device consists of a minimum of parts sothatthere is but slight opportunity oi wear. or for` the parts toget outof order or adjustment. Enough lubricant is fed around the plate '25 soas to lubricate the same where it engages 6 and 19. If there is anyslight wear, it willbe compensated for by the springs 22, the partsValways beingvmaintained in operative relation Vwith the rail headV 1.

Having thus described the invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same withoutk departing fromthe spirit vof my invention; hence Ido not wish to be understood aslimiting myselfl to the exact form, construction, arrangement andcombination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned. v

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: f

l.k In a rail lubricating deviceof the kind described and incombination, a lubricant carrier plate mounted adjacent the rail in thepath of a wheel ange and vertically depressible at the edge face of therail head by a wheel flange travelling over the plate, said plateprovided with a lubricant passage-way adjacent said rail face, and meansmounted on said rail at said plate for depositing a lubricant in saidpassage-way at each upward movement of the plate.

2. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and incombination, a lubricant carrier late mounted adjacent the rail in thepath of a Wheel flange and vertically depressible at the edge face ofthe rail head by a wheel flange travellingover the plate, means fornormally maintaining said plate in its elevated position, said plateprovided with a lubricant passage-Way terminating at its top edgeadjacent said rail face, and pressure means adjustably mountedron therail at said plate for depositing a lubricantin said passage-way at eachupward movement of the plate.

3. In a rail lubricating device yofthel kind described and incombination, a face plate con- Lili structed to substantially t a railbetween the head and base, a wheel actuated lubricant carriervplateslidably mounted on said face plate and having a passage-way on the sideadjacent the face plate and said rail head side face, a lubricantcontainer mounted on said face plate and arranged to maintain saidcarrier plate in operative relation to the rail head, said containerprovided with a primary lubricating chamber and a secondary lubricatingcham-ber, said container chambers provided with ports, and saidlubricant carrier constructed with ports arranged to register with saidports upon predetermined movement upward or downward of said carrier toconnect the secondary chamber and plate pasw sageway or the twochambers, respectively, and means for causing a pressure on thelubricant in the chambers.

4. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and incombination, a face plate constructed to substantially fit a railbetween the head and base and having securing means, a wheel flangeactuated lubricant carrier plate slidably mounted on said face plate andhaving a passage-way on the side adjacent the face plate and said railhead side face, a lubricant container adjustably mounted on said faceplate and arranged to maintain said carrier plate in operative relationto the rail head, means for normally maintaining said carrier plate inelevated position, said container provided with a primary lubricatingchamber and a secondary lubricating chamber, said container chambersprovided with ports, and said lubricant carrier constructed with portsarranged to register with said container chamber ports uponpredetermined upward or downward movement of said carrier, wherebylubricant under pressure is forced from the primary chamber to thesecondary chamber, and thence to the rail head.

5. In a rail lubricatingr device of the kind described and incombination, a rail plate constructed to t the rail between the head andflange thereof, a ller interposed between the rail plate and rail web,and means for securing said rail plate and ller to the rail, a containerprovided with a primary lubricant chamber and with a secondary lubricantchamber communicating therewith and having a discharge port, means foryieldably securing said container to said rail plate, a valve interposedbetween the container and rail plate and having ports formed thereinconstituting passages for lubricant from the primary to the secondarychamber and from the secondary chamber to the rail, and means forreedingv lubricant from the primary to the secondary chamber when saidvalve is in the position to provide communication between the twochambers, said valve having a closure portion adapted to cover thedischarge port of said secondary chamber to prevent the discharge oflubricant from the secondary chamber to the rail when the secondarychamber is in communication with the primary chamber.

6. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a lubricantcontainer having a storage chamber and a compression chamber formedtherein, means for operatively securing said container toa track rail,spring actuated means for applying pressure to the lubricant in saidcontainer storage chamber, and means for controlling the discharge orlubricant 'from said storage chamber into the compression chamber andfrom the compression chamber and distributing the same on said rail.

'7. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a lubricantcontainer provided with a storage chamber and a compression chamber andmeans for operatively securing said container to a track rail, means forforcing the lubricant under pressure into the compression chamber fromthe storage chamber in said container, and means actuable by a flangedwheel passing on the rail for controlling the discharge of lubricantfrom said compression chamber in measured quantities and distributingthe same on said rail, said last mentioned means being positioned withrespect to said compression chamber to prevent discharge of lubricanttherefrom when the flanged wheel is in engagement with said lastmentioned means.Y V

8. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and incombination, a face plate constructed to substantially fit a railbetween the head and base, a lubricant carrier plate slidably mounted onsaid face plate and having a passageway on the side adjacent the faceplate and said rail head side face, said carrier operatively arranged onthe face plate to frictionally engage a wheel flange, a lubricantcontainer mounted on said face plate and arranged to maintain saidcarrier plate in operative relation to the rail head, said containerprovided with a supply lubricant chamber and a compression lubricantcharnber, said container chambers provided with ports, and saidlubricant carrier constructed with ports arranged to register with saidports upon predetermined movement upward or downward of said carrier toconnect the compression chamber and plate passageway or the two chambersrespectively, and means for causing a pressure on the lubricant in thesupply chamber.

9. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a lubricantcontainer having a supply chamber and a compression chamber, means foroperatively securing said container to a track rail, means for applyingpressure to the lubricant in said supply chamber, and a valve plateactuated by a hanged wheel passing on the rail, said plate having portsformed therein for establishing communication between said chambers whenthe plate is depressed by the wheel and for discharging lubricant fromsaid pressure chamber in measured quantities and distributing same onsaid rail when the wheel is disengaged from said plate. Y

10. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and incombination, a lubricant con tainer having a supply chamber and acompression chamber formed therein, means for securing said container toa rail, carrier means having a passageway and ports formed therein forconducting lubricant from the containerrand distributing the same on therail, said carrier means being operative to position said ports foralternately establishing communication between said chambers and betweensaid compression chamber and said passageway for controlling thedischarge of lubricant in measured quantities from the container to therail, and means for causing above atmospheric pressure on the lubricantin said supply chamber.

1l. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and incombination, a lubricant carrier plate mounted adjacent the rail in thepath of a wheel iange and vertically movable along the edge face of therail head, said plate being operable by the frictional engagement of therail side of the wheel flange moving along the edge face of said railhead and provided with a lubricant passageway adjacent said face, andmeans for depositing a lubricant in said passageway at each movement ofthe plate in one direction.

12. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and incombination, a relatively thin vertically disposed lubricant carrierplate mounted adjacent the rail head in the path of a wheel flange andvertically depressible by frictional engagement of the rail side of thewheel ange moving along the edge face of said rail head, said plateprovided with a lubricant passageway adjacent said edge face, and meansoperatively related to said plate for depositing a lubricant in saidpassageway at each movement of the plate in one direction.

13. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and incombination, a lubricant carrier plate mounted adjacent the rail in thepath of a wheel flange and vertically movable along the edge face of therail head, said plate being operable by the frictional engagement, in asubstantially horizontal and downwardly direction of the rail side ofthe wheel flange moving along the edge face of said rail head andprovided with a lubricant passageway adjacent said face, and means fordepositing a lubricant in said passageway at each movement of the platein one direction.

14. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and incombination, a relatively thin vertically disposed lubricant carrierplate mounted adjacent the rail head in the path oi a wheel flange andvertically depressible by frictional engagement in a substantiallyhorizontal and downwardly direction of the rail side of the wheel angemoving along the edge face of said rail head, said plate provided with alubricant passageway adjacent said edge face, and means operativelyrelated to said plate for depositing a lubricant in said passageway ateach movement of the plate in one direction.

l5. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and incombination, a container adapted to be secured to a rail and providedwith a primary lubricant chamber and with a secondary lubricant chambercommunicating with said primary chamber, said secondary chamber having adischarge port associated therewith, a valve interposed between thecontainer and rail and having a plurality of ports constituting passagesfor lubricant from the primary to the secondary chamber and from thesecondary chamber to le rail, and means for feeding lubricant from theprimary to the secondary chamber when said valve is in position toprovide communication between said chambers, said valve having a closureportion adapted to cover the discharge port of said secondary chamber toprevent the discharge of lubricant therefrom when the secondary chamberis in communication with the primary chamber.

HARRY B. BATES.

